Dozens feared trapped as 18-storey building collapses in Nairobi's Eastleigh; rescue under way

An 18-storey building under construction collapsed at about 1pm local time (10:00 GMT) on Friday in Nairobi’s Eastleigh neighbourhood, its floors stacked like pancakes. (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/amp/world/20261024/many-feared-trapped-as-a-tall-building-collapses-in-kenya)

Kenya Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen said 67 workers were at the site — one was injured and the other 66 escaped unharmed. (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/10/23/many-feared-trapped-after-multistorey-building-collapses-in-kenya) The basement and ground floor had been rented to an electronics shop, a butchery and a grocery occupied at the time; about 11 people who were in them are yet to be accounted for, Murkomen said. Rescue teams have made contact with survivors still trapped inside. (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/10/23/many-feared-trapped-after-multistorey-building-collapses-in-kenya)

The Kenya Red Cross said two injured people were rescued from the rubble and taken to Kenyatta National Hospital. (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/amp/world/20261024/many-feared-trapped-as-a-tall-building-collapses-in-kenya)

Nairobi police chief Issa Mohamud said more than 10 of the upper floors were under construction and warned of a possible secondary collapse as the building is leaning on its neighbour. (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/amp/world/20261024/many-feared-trapped-as-a-tall-building-collapses-in-kenya) Plasterer Joseph Kaula, who was working on the fifth floor, said: “I was the last person to walk out before it collapsed.” He suspects colleagues are trapped in the basement. (https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/amp/world/20261024/many-feared-trapped-as-a-tall-building-collapses-in-kenya)

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja said the building did not have an occupation certificate. John Ogallo, vice president of the Institution of Engineers of Kenya, said there had reportedly been warning signs before the collapse, including cracks; Bibiye Mahmoud, president of the Institution of Engineering Technology of Kenya, raised concerns about construction standards and oversight. A multi-agency team will investigate. (https://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/multi-storey-building-collapses-during-construction-in-kenyas-nairobi-many-feared-trapped/)

Rescue efforts were expected to continue through Friday night and Saturday. (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/10/23/many-feared-trapped-after-multistorey-building-collapses-in-kenya)